The medicinal plants of Myanmar
Author
DeFilipps, Robert A.
Deceased
Author
Krupnick, Gary A.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1357-4826
Department of Botany, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, MRC- 166, Washington, DC, 20013 - 7012, USA
krupnick@si.edu
text
PhytoKeys
2018
2018-06-28
102
1
341
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.102.24380
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.102.24380
1314-2003-102-1
AA226A35FFF8FFBC37621A40C2518C67
1306325
Limonia acidissima L.
Names.
Myanmar
:
kwet
,
mak-pyen-sum
,
thi
,
san-phak
(Kachin),
sanut-khar
(Mon),
sansph-ka
,
thanakha
,
thi-ha-yaza
.
English
: Chinese box tree, elephant apple, wood apple.
Range
.
Widely distributed on all continents. In Myanmar, grows naturally in hot zone, in townships such as Pakokku, Myin-kyan, Pyay, Shwe-bo, Sagaing, Myaing, Nwa-hto-gyi, and Taungthar. Can also be found in some of the semi-desert dry and scrubby areas of Upper Myanmar.
Uses.
Bark
: Used as a medication for biliousness.
Leaf
: Considered to be carminative. Used in treating epilepsy. Patients bathed in water the leaves have been boiled in and this is followed up by inducing a sweat. Leaves dried and made into a powder used to cure edema, sores and other diseases.
Fruit
: Considered to be stomachic. Used in making medicine for neutralizing poisons, strength-giving tonics, and high fevers.
Root
: Used in laxatives and medicines to induce sweating. Used as a purgative. Paste made of root, along with tumeric, used to treat female related disorders. Paste with salt used for tired sore muscles. Paste, together with water in which betle (
Piper betle
) leaves have been soaked, given to children with bronchitis. Licking 3 ticals (c. 30 g) of root powder mixed with sugar and honey used to neutralize toxins in the stomach. Taking 5 pei (1/16th tical) each of the root and
pan-nu
(
Hemistrepta lyratat
or
Saussurea affinis
) used to neutralize the venom of snakebites.
Fruit
: Tonic.
Notes.
In Indo-China the ripe fruit is cooling, astringent, tonic, "very efficacious" to treat salivation and ulcers in the mouth; a decoction of the aromatic leaves is taken as stomachic and carminative; the bark, chewed with that of
Barringtonia acutangula
, is applied to bites and stings, and also used to treat nausea; an infusion of the thorns with other ingredients is ingested as hemostatic to treat metrorrhagia (
Perry 1980
).
Marmosin has been isolated from the bark, feronialactones from the bark and roots, bergapten from the leaves, and stigmasterol from the leaves and unripe fruits (
Perry 1980
).
References.
Agricultural Corporation (1980)
,
Perry (1980)
.